Panaji: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday lambasted Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat over his sexist remarks on women joining politics, and said it showed his "shallow frame of mind".
Reacting to Kamat's comments on Saturday that if women joined politics it would have a negative impact on society, the BJP asked the Chief Minister to tell Congress president Sonia Gandhi to quit politics.
"When Kamat travels to Delhi next, he should tell his president Sonia Gandhi, also a woman, to quit politics and all the official positions she holds because 'it would have a negative impact on society'," BJP general secretary and spokesperson Govind Parvatkar told IANS on Monday.
"A Chief Minister of a progressive state like Goa saying this shows his shallow frame of mind. This is the state the Congress is in today when the only woman legislator in the 40-member Goa assembly is not even given a ministerial berth despite her public protests," Parvatkar said, referring to Congress MLA from St. Cruz, Victoria Fernandes.
Earlier, women's groups in Goa had publicly condemned Kamat's sexist remarks at a public function Saturday where he also asked women to desist from taking up the "33 percent reservation" bait.
"The Chief Minister's comment only shows the mindset of the political class in Goa," said Sabina Martins, a spokesperson of woman's group Bailancho Saad.
"Kamat's own party is trying so hard to push the women's quota bill and here he is trying to dissuade women from joining politics. In a way the Chief Minister is working against the principles of his own party," Martins said.
Kamat at a public function on Saturday had said: "If women start pursuing politics, it will have a negative impact on society".
Kamat also made snide remarks on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's landmark women's quota bill that seeks to reserve 33 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies for women.
"Don't fall for 33 percent reservation (in politics). Politics makes you go crazy. Women play an important role in transforming the society. We should look after our next generation," Kamat said, commenting on the legislation, which, according to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was the dream of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Kamat, who has recently drawn flak from the Congress high command for calling Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi his best friend, has also attracted the ire of women environment activists in the state.
Five women activists had gone to meet Kamat on a scheduled grievance day - when members of the public have open access to the Chief Minister - to discuss unplanned real estate development in the state. But they were dismissed by Kamat, who said "I do not need your votes".
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